#+TITLE: Book Review: The Tombs of Atuan by Ursula K Le Guin
#+AUTHOR: Tyler Cipriani
#+DATE: 2016-10-08T10:36:10-06:00
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[[!meta title="Book Review: The Tombs of Atuan by Ursula K Le Guin"]]
[[!meta date="2016-10-08T10:36:10-06:00"]]

"Ahra", the Eaten One, the high priestess of the Tombs of Atuan
belongs to the Nameless Ones. She is, herself, nameless. Her name
along with her family and future were taken from her in a ceremony on
which the novel opens. At the beginning of the novel, her 6-year-old
life is spared so that she may live the remainder of her life serving
the Nameless Ones of Karg in the far East, outside of the Archipelago,
in the realm of EarthSea. So it has always been at Atuan and so it has
always been with "Ahra" – the high priestess is also The One Priestess in
that she is continually reborn as herself. Within an hour of the old
priestess's death, a new One Priestess – who is the same in essence – is
born.

Ahra is under the often indifferent and sometimes cruel tutelage of
Kossil – High Priestess of the GodKing – the rulers of Autan, Thar –
priestess of the Twin Gods, and (to some degree) Mannan – a eunuch and
her life-long companion. Each often conveys their understanding of the
Tombs, the Nameless ones, and the appropriate place and behavior of
the One Priestess.

Thar, though harsh, is often an ally to Ahra. After Thar's death,
Ahra's relationship with Kossil becomes increasingly strained. Kossil
shows Ahra the Undertomb and Labyrinth that lay under the Tombs of
Atuan – these are the dark realms of the One Priestess where the
Nameless Ones have their greatest strength. Ahra becomes increasingly
obsessed with memorizing all the twists and turns of the Undertomb and
Labyrinth spending much of her time exploring their depths and
learning the location of various spy-holes that look into the
Labyrinth. Kossil makes mention of the ring of Erreth-Akbe that is
the greatest and most magical treasure of all the many treasures kept
in the Labyrinth.

Soon Ahra discovers Sparrowhawk, who's origin story is covered
in [[https://openlibrary.org/works/OL59852W/A_wizard_of_Earthsea][A Wizard of EarthSea]], wandering the Labyrinth in
search of the ring of Erreth-Akbe. Although Ahra has been taught to
fear magic and sorcerers her curiosity about this intruder who has
lived a life so different than her own dull existence leads her to
imprison Sparrowhawk in the Labyrinth rather than kill him (as she
told Kossil she would).

Eventually, Ahra grows to trust Sparrowhawk, particularly after he
returns to her her name – Tenar, and after revealing his own true name
– Ged. In EarthSea learning something's true name gives you power over
that thing. Magic is just a recitation of the original language and
magic is enacted over objects and people by calling them by their
original and true names.

After being won-over by Ged when Kossil's intensity and treachery
reach a fever pitch, Tenar decides to help Ged escape Autan which,
along with the her and Kossil's other indiscretions, leave the Nameless
Ones a bit miffed.

The Tombs of Atuan was a very readable and approachable novel,
probably owing to its young-adult target audience – it is short at only
211 pages. This is the second book of the EarthSea series and it seems
slightly more focused and, perhaps, less expansive than the first – A
Wizard of EarthSea. The themes of the power of names and places are
mentioned throughout this book. It is interesting that the things over
which no one has any control are nameless, specifically the Nameless
Ones – the dark forces mentioned throughout the novel; however, it is
only after regaining her own name that Tenar is able to exert any
control over her own life.

It's got a good beat and I can dance to it: 8/10.

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